Osceola County transformed? Two major projects moving forward

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Two huge development projects are moving along in Osceola County that promise to transform the community for the better.

County officials announced that they found an investor for their NeoCity district, paving the way for a now mostly empty plot of land to start taking shape.

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Under the agreement, Korean tech billionaire Young-hwa Song will invest $1.2 billion to build a mix-use city center, including residential and office space, restaurants, entertainment venues and more.

NeoCity is intended to be a “smart” city laid out over dozens of acres that can attract high-tech tenants, much like neighboring Orlando’s Lake Nona district.

County officials have until December to formalize a land transfer to Song.

Nearby, Saint Cloud leaders dusted off their plans to redevelop the city’s lakefront district Wednesday night, holding a public comment session to get feedback on early designs.

The current district doesn’t have the capacity for the community’s needs. Officials said there isn’t enough parking, park and marina space, and synergy with the city’s downtown. Pedestrian safety is also a concern.

The new plans include a marina twice as big, along with designated jet ski and kayak launches. Officials said there was also potential for a small hotel, community space and a seaport.

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Parks & Recreation Director Stephanie Holtkamp said it was the first sign of progress since late 2019, before the pandemic put plans on hold.

“We’re just taking additional public comment, and we’ll devise the master plan accordingly,” she explained, adding that the plan could be finalized by the spring.

Community members appeared to favor the plans for the new park. Some had reservations about the layout of the vehicle launches.

“We’re mixing kayaks, jet skis and airplanes in the same general area. It’s a recipe for disaster,” Carl Robinson said.

Others had concerns about the amount of noise the expanded launches would bring.

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Construction on the new lakefront wouldn’t begin for several years, Holtkamp said.

The second phase of the city’s downtown revitalization project breaks ground in January, and a multipurpose path to connect that area to the lake is also in the planning stages.

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